Isla Mujeres (Island of Women) is the perfect place for a short vacation or a new place to call home. You'll soon agree as you spend your days relaxing on a powder white beach, snorkeling in the crystal blue waters or just lounging in your hammock under your favorite palapa. By night you'll dine on fabulous meals of every variety. After you've eaten your fill, there is still plenty to satisfy all interests. Take a relaxing stroll through the moonlit streets while breathing in the ocean air. If you're so inclined, take in some of the abundant nightlife and maybe even dance your way 'til dawn.

The Isla Mujeres is located due east off the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. It's about eight miles across the Bay of Women (Bahia Mujeres), still in sight of its neighbor to the west, Cancun. The island was formed by ocean currents depositing sediment, which provided its abundance of sand and flat topology. Isla is five miles long and roughly one half mile wide at the widest point.

The climate of Isla Mujeres is, as you might expect, PERFECT. The temperature is fairly consistent, hovering around 80 degrees most of the year, with the hottest months from June to August. You're on vacation, so expect rain. Seriously, unless you’re traveling during the wet season, October to November, you're likely to experience an afternoon shower or two at most.

The population, as you've probably guessed, is primarily Mexican. A small amount of us locals are comprised of one-time vacationers who found they couldn’t tear themselves away. The island economy has historically been based around the fishing trade, but as anyone who has spent any time on the island will tell you, tourism isn't losing any ground. A combination of Cancun and the Tulum Corridor bring vacationers to Mexico in droves. The island's charm, beauty, and wonderful residents are proving to be an overwhelming draw as well.

Despite the increase in tourism, Isla Mujeres still maintains it's quaint and wondrous charm. If you care to see, you can still get a picture of Mexican life as the locals and their families carry on with life. Remember, you're on vacation, it's just another day for everyone else.